Publisher of Skeptic magazine, Michael Shermer, holds a PhD in the history of science from Claremont and was a monthly columnist for Scientific American for 18 years. In the first half, he delved into conspiracy theories and why people are drawn to them. While this kind of thinking dates back to early civilizations, nowadays, such theories rapidly spread on the Internet, and many followers/believers can be gained in short order. "Anomaly hunters" search through every photo and video, focusing on minutia, weird shadows, and things that don't seem to fit. The recent assassination attempt on Trump is an example of that, he said, though he conceded in this case, there actually are a "number of anomalies and peculiarities that are going to have to be addressed." Perhaps it just boils down to incompetence on the part of the Secret Service or law enforcement, Shermer added.
We all believe some conspiracy theories, and that's a good thing because some of them are real, he noted, such as the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Iran Contra, and MK-ULTRA, the CIA mind control program. On the topic of ET visitation, he doubts aliens have visited Earth, though he does believe it's likely that extraterrestrial life exists out there, and he is affiliated with Avi Loeb's Galileo Project in that regard. He also touched on alien abductions, and the malleability of memory, such as when people are recovering memories via hypnosis. Shermer has concluded that alien abductions are likely related to sleep paralysis episodes, where the dark figures that appear to those in a quasi-dream state are interpreted as menacing ETs, whereas in past eras, they were identified as demons or devils.
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In the latter half, author and medium Susan Grau talked about dying, her near-death experience (NDE), angel encounters, and how a greater understanding of the afterlife can help us connect with our loved ones who have passed on. Her NDE at an early age had a profound impact on her views of spirituality and the afterlife. During the experience, she traveled to various locations, including a room of knowledge, a room of companions, and a "yellow brick road" that represented the path of one's journey. She also experienced a vision of unconditional love on a mountain, in which she saw a beatific being that was like a "beam of light" who made her feel complete and perfect.
On the subject of grief for our lost loved ones, she emphasized that there is no time limit for it as it's directly related to the love for the person who has passed, and yet the knowledge that they continue on in spirit can be a comfort. When people die, they are never alone, she said, as there is someone on the Other Side, as well as angels, to greet them or come get them. There's nothing to fear about the spirit world, as it's where we come from and where we return, she pointed out. As to what to expect in the afterlife, she portrayed the realm as pulsating, vibrant, and beautiful with indescribable colors. Grau shared stories of her communicating with the deceased, and gave readings for callers in the last hour.
News segment guests: John M. Curtis, Charles Coppes